145 Kalaghoda, Mumbai

145 Kalaghoda, Mumbai

Visit long overdue. This place is always overbooked and it is a task to even do reservations. I have tried twice and finally got lucky when we booked literally 18 days in advance. Yes, you can step in here anytime, they are not going to shun you but it will be a long long wait, something that I am not a big fan of especially when the wait will extend to an hour or even longer. Impromptu plans might not work here as such.

The ambiance of the place is like most other bars/cafes around the city, dimly lit. Only here, tables have singular lights placed above, in case you don't like things to be too dark. Smart thinking there. It especially helps in taking photos. :P I find this a problem in many other lounges/pubs/bars where you really want to take beautiful photos of the food but you just aren't able to because of the lighting. Well, it's technically not their fault. But still you know what I mean.

My first impression of the service was that it was great. The waiting staff is eager to help you with any food suggestions/ queries but as the night progresses and the crowd begins to increase, it gets to be a little difficult to draw their attention towards you. But once you do, they will make sure to help you out and even be a step ahead. An example of it would be of the dessert we had ordered, which was not available but then was made available or he cross checked and got it done. This particular dessert was also a game changer. You will know what I mean. (I talk like there is some big secret reveal. jaanne ke liye dekhiye...!! :P :P)

We ordered stuffed cheese naan, pavbhaji cones and chhota shawarmas. The stuffed cheese naan ranks the highest. melted butter on top, soft and melt in the mouth naan and stuffed melted cheese. It takes you to another level of heaven. The pav bhaji cones had a mixed reaction. We did like it, but the bhaji to bread ratio was higher, so you end up feeling that you are eating more of bhaji and I and the other girls prefer it the other way round. I scooped out the bhaji with spoon and had it first, so when I had finally the cone, it ain't so bad. Also, something feels missing without the lemon being squeezed on the bhaji. The shawarmas come not in a roll but rather with the chicken pieces in a skewer hanging down and min sized pita bread placed at the bottom. The concept as such seems appetizing but you really don't get the true flavors of a shawarma in there. For the main course we called for the Goan Prawn Curry & Noodles with Honey Tofu. The Goan Prawns Curry in taste was good, the serving size in terms of the prawns was hardly! A little stingy there. Also, I wished it had been accompanied with some condiments like raita/papad/pickle/fryums etc. Not all, maybe just one. I mean it's goan prawn curry, it is meant to be served with that way. The Noodles with Honey Tofu is great on the taste buds. We had requested to not make it sweet as such and they had obliged, which is another brownie point on them. The serving size of this is also good. 

The Dessert - Oreo Milkshake. The mighty Oreo milkshake, which I had been looking forward to from quite some time after going through so many pics of this particular item on social networking sites. Imagine my disappointment when they told me this was not available at the moment. My heart broke and it felt like such a waste coming till here. Yes, I had come here to enjoy this one thing specifically. I had wanted to try out other stuff as well, but this was a non-negotiable. But kudos to the waiting staff, who realized our disappointment and came back 10 minutes later with the news that they will make it. Our hearts leapt with joy! Is it everything I imagined it to be? OH YEAH! I think we went ballistic once it was served. A tall glass filled with Oreo shake and with a biscuit placed on top and the magic of whipped cream topped with marshmallows, kitkats, gems, oreos and also Oreos stuck on 4 sides of the glass (one wonders if they use super glue in this part as we just couldn't scrape it off and eat it up :P). This is something that made all our days and we still keep talking about how very awesome this was! 

Reasons to head here? Their menu is inclusive of VAT charges, which makes you very very happy because you know you are not going to be ripped off. Great Ambiance. Cheap Alcohol. There are very few such places left. That answered my question on why this place is always booked. 

WHAT WE HAD - Stuffed cheese naan (Heaven)

                           Pav Bhaji Cones (Yum)

                           Chhota Shawarmas (Yum)

                           Goan prawn Curry (Increase the serving of Prawns, Yum)

                           Noodles with Honey Tofu (Yumness) 

                           145 Mighty Oreo Shake (H.E.A.V.E.N)

                           Peach Iced Tea (Okay)

DAMAGES - Rs 2700/- (Approx, incl of Alcohol) (We were 4)

WHERE -  145 Kala Ghoda., 145, Kalaghoda, Fort, Mumbai

Tea Trails, Mumbai

TEA TRAILS, Fort

This was a matter of luck, chance and availability of a place. At the recent Kala Ghoda Art Fest, the entire area is more or less crowded at all hours, even at 2 pm in the afternoon, as every one is looking for a place nearby to grab lunch or a quick bite or just to hang out especially if you pay visit in the scorching heat. This was our case, we went in the early afternoon and even though initially we had decided on checking out another place, everything in the area had a waiting list and we were super hungry and tired to be on our feet. After facing this at 3-4 places, we finally found luck at Tea Trails but were highly doubtful since this would be one of those places which I hadn't looked up (I do a lot of restaurant search in my free time). But the warmth displayed by the owner was a positive reinforcement and we were after all tired. 

The place is done in turquoise and white and it is absolutely soothing to the eyes and when you are as tired as we were on the day with the sun giving you a slight head ache, this is welcoming and refreshing. I might be exaggerating but it is like stepping foot in a beach with clear blue waters. Step in here after having walked for a minimum of one hour with the sun shining above you and you will realize what I am talking about. Also, the decor is inspired from Santorini, Greece. Why? One look at the walls and you wouldn't have to ask why. 

Service? Good. But not the best. There was an up side and there is a down side as well to the service. The person taking our order had sort of messed it up and forgot what we had ordered for, and the particular item was unavailable at the time as well, so we were waiting for nothing in a way. Also, the drinks we ordered were, not exactly what we had ordered. I think it would have helped if he had a note pad to just note what we had ordered. No chance of a mishap happening then. However, the day was saved by the Manager/Owner who stepped in and took over and informed us kindly that the particular item is not available and recommended dishes otherwise. Also, our drinks were exchanged and were not billed for it. He had gone to the extent of saying we could enjoy the extra drink served as well while our original concoction was being brewed. But, one sip of it and we realized we didn't even want to have it. I love cranberry and i love iced teas, so I don't know if it was this place, but the cranberry iced tea just seemed like Cough Syrup. Well, you now know what you definitely should not be ordering - the cranberry iced tea. Who would have thought there would come a day that I would reject an iced tea! Brownie points to he manager/owner for stepping in the way he did and took over service almost completely.

On any other day, if i paid visit to a place that specializes in the different types of tea they offer, I would have tried and tested their chai, being a huge tea-addict myself. However, we were hammered and wanted something cold and refreshing on the day. So in drinks we had the lemon and mint iced tea and the recently made popular "Bubble Tea" in lychee/lichi and mango flavor. I would have difficult choosing the best of the three as all of them were equally good. But as the bubble tea was something I had tried for the first time, I would say I was a little fascinated with the jelly balls at at the bottom. Every time you take a sip, it slides into your mouth and goes pop! Yeah, we felt like kids, trying to make them pop. Highly recommended. In the food, we had the tea pancakes, smoked cottage cheese sandwich and the grilled cottage cheese platter. The pancakes were something was a result of my cravings but I have to say that it wasn't all that I expected it to be. They were pretty ordinary and we make better at home, none of us like the fruit compote served along with it, I am guessing it was pineapple, as I couldn't really make out. In short, I would not really order it again. The smoked cottage cheese sandwich was the star of the meal. I am very particular about the sandwiches I have and I get tired after a point of having them if they are loaded with too much sauce or lack of it even. The balance has to be there between the ingredients, which is why many a times I do not prefer ordering cheese loaded sandwiches, even though I am cheese addict. I would put it this way - I would prefer this over a chicken based sandwich as well any day of the week. Finally the Cottage Cheese Platter or lets just say Paneer. :D Paneer smeared with peri peri sauce and grilled, two huge pieces of it (Thank you for not down-sizing the portion) leaves you satisfied over any Paneer craving you might have had. Served with a side of butter herb rice (I need to learn how to make butter herb rice, i love it everywhere I go), wok tossed veggies like broccoli, carrots and some garlic sauce to enjoy the over all experience. Good. Real Good. I am guessing that people of Portugal (Wiki tells me peri peri originated in Portugal) had small portions of rice or for that matter people in the west as such. Why? I always find that the serving of the chicken/cottage cheese/tofu or the protein is always higher than the serving of the bread/rice which would be your carbohydrates. I guess this might be because of the concept of balanced meal where you need more of protein that carbohydrates. My point? I am an Indian, and I want the rice portion to be a little more. like just a little. At the end of the meal, we were left wanting for a little more of the rice. :P I think all three of my girls would echo the same thought. 

This place is an ideal location to just let out the lazy person in you, sit back, enjoy your cuppa of chai with something on the side or maybe even a lot on the side as is generally the case with mua! :D

WHAT WE HAD - Mango Bubble Tea (Obsessed)

                           Lychee Bubble Tea (Obsessed)

                           Lemon & Mint Iced Tea (Refreshing)

                           Tea Pancakes (Okay!)

                           Smoked Cottage Cheese Sandwich (Might just make me a vegetarian)

                           Grilled Cottage Cheese Platter (Yummy in my Tummy)

DAMAGES - Rs 1400/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Tea Trails India., Shop 6/8, Near Trishna, Kalaghoda, Fort, MUMBAI

Kyani & Co, Mumbai

KYANI & CO., Fort

Where was this place when I lived just 15 minutes walking from the restaurant?!! Well, the restaurant was right there, has been right there since time immemorial. No, seriously, it has been there for 100 years or more I believe. So the real question is, where was I??? Sleeping apparently. The foodie in me was very restricted and didn't really know where to go, so my options were limited, access to internet has changed that. So Thank you Internet and Google. So now that I finally made it here, all I can say is why did it take me so many years to find this place? Especially since the place is nothing short of a legend and a legacy. Are the two the same thing? I will have to google. 

The place is located in between CST and Crawford Market, and is easy to find because who hasn't heard of Kyani and Co. Except for me, obviously. The minute you step in, you will be a transported to a different era. you can literally feel the pre-independence vibes in the place. Pre-independence does not mean the patriotism or the "Go-back Simon" phase. It reeks of nostalgia, like visiting your grandparents in the summer and hearing them tell you stories of the their younger days. I am sure my nana-ji must have been here on several occasions himself. He has traveled the world from GCC to Japan to many other places. The place also has a no-nonsense vibe where in you won't find waiters going out of their way to create comfort, this is there on the menu, this is not- you like it, you order, you don't, move on. You will also literally see some of the cooks in their dhotis on a break which was such a LOL to me, where else can you see that??! 

We started off by ordering Chicken Farcha Meal which included Chicken Farcha + Chicken Sausage + French Fries + Baked Beans. Everything on the plate was good except for the Chicken Farcha. I know it is an authentic Parsi dish, but I just couldn't eat it. Infact I didn't, the flavor just didn't sit with me. Neither did it, with my friend. We didn't end up eating it infact. I don't know if it was just here, or I don't have the stomach for the cuisine. I am guessing though, it is just for the chicken Farcha. Next time, I would do a proper research on the cuisine and then give it a try. Besides this we had ordered Kheema Bhurjee and 1 of this needs 8 pieces of Pav to finish it. The Kheema was good, really good and completely worth it for just 60 bucks! Its beyond paisa vasool. Well, this place is known for its bun-maska and chai, and hence, I had to have it. I was actually wondering how Good can bun-maska be? I mean its bun and maska. How very wrong I was. The minute I had the first bite, I knew that no matter how many times I would have had this particular Bun-Maska, there will not come a day when I would be bored of it, I don't know how and what they do with it, but it is worth dying for! Yes, very much so. Have you seen the Five Star - Kho jao Ad? Their Bun- Maska can replace the Five Star in the Ad. Dipped in their Chai, it takes it another level altogether. I also had their Bread Pudding, which again is something I have been craving ever since. I mean it is the not just the cheapest pudding I have had (15 Rs!!!) but also the best. No seriously, it makes me question how do they even afford it. If they had made me may 100 rs for it, I would still have gladly done so, and in this price I can have 6 pieces of it. Its like reverse-rip off, as in we are ripping them off!! :P

Most of you must have already paid a visit to this place and may even be a regular here, even if it is to pick something along the way. This is one of those places that you should bring your friends along on when they are here to sight-see and explore Bombay. In short - SHOULD NOT BE MISSED! 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Farcha Meal ( Excellent without the Farcha!)

                           Kheema Bhurjee (Yum!)

                           Bun Maska with Chai (Where have you been all my life?!!)

                           Bread Pudding (Yumminess)

                           Chocolate Milkshake (Yum!)

DAMAGES - Rs 250/- Approx

WHERE - JSS Road, Jer Mahal Estate, Opp. Metro Cinema, Marine Lines, Mumbai